1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hanging system for framed paintings or other basically plate-like objects.
While the teaching of this invention is explained below based on the preferred intended use for framed paintings, it is always to be kept in mind that the teaching of this invention is also suitable for all other basically plate-like objects, for example, for poster mountings, for other art objects, or the like, that require hanging.
2. Description of Related Art
Normally, with framed paintings, a hanging system is used that has hanging angles or hanging brackets securely fastened to the backside of the frame. With hanging angles the frame is hung on hooks on the wall or with hanging brackets the frame is hung on a cord leading down from a display rail. With pictures, that are frequently moved, be it that their hanging places are changed, or that they are hung in different places in a gallery, from time to time the necessity arises to move hanging angles and hanging brackets on the backside of the frame of the painting. If such frames are transported over considerable distances, for which they then have to be inserted in a transport frame, the hanging angles or hanging brackets are normally removed to be able to complete cover the frame all over in cushioning material.
The result of the above explained situation is that, often, in older and "widely traveled" framed paintings, their backsides have a dense hole pattern, so that there are hardly any more possibilities for attaching hanging brackets or hanging angles. A special problem is that major difficulties are often caused in the hanging of old, perhaps even somewhat brittle and possibly also very heavy frames of large paintings.
Another problem is the transportation of such paintings that are in frames. Transport frames, as already noted above, are used for this purpose. Transport frames are flat boxes made mostly of wood, in which the painting in the frame is placed in soft cushioning material, especially plastic foam. Then, the painting is tightly surrounded on all sides by cushioning material so as not to be damaged in transport by vibrations and impacts. To achieve sufficient protection, here, the cushioning material must be made very thick and tight. Especially on the bottom edge of the frame, on which the full weight of the painting acts, achieving adequate padding is extraordinarily problematic, so that, time and again, damages in transit are nothing out of the ordinary.
The cushioning of paintings in a frame for transporting has a further great drawback. Paintings in this category of art must be exposed, as much as possible, to constant climatic surrounding conditions. Therefore, they are carried in specially air-conditioned transport vehicles. But, the best air-conditioning fails if, because of the thick padding of the painting, the predetermined climate produced in the air-conditioned transport space cannot be effective on the painting itself. Thus, the problem is that a sufficient air exchange through the cushioning cannot be guaranteed.